Best way to plot routes in Europe

[andym]

Ahem.... you can select which mapping you use with RideWithGPS - including using OSM.

Thanks for correcting my mistake. (I was misled by the Google logo on the map).

 

[Broadside]

Strava route planner. Switch on the global heatmap then you can plan along routes that the locals use for cycling, i.e. the best roads.

 

[robing]

I used Google Maps for France and Spain, now have cycling routes. You can see a graph of the elevation. Be warned though, in France a couple of times I ended up on farm tracks that you would have struggled to get through on a quad bike.

 

[Kosong]

in the month that I have been on the road I have not seen a single touring cyclist get off their bikes to look at something interesting or take a photo of it

Yeah, I've seen this too. i find my daily mileage is way less than a what a lot of people do, but mostly because I go on funny diversions to places with silly names, stop for breaks at scenic points, climb hills near the ride etc. For me getting to the end is part of it, but why rush? There's lots to do and see on the way But I guess without talking to people its hard to gauge what motivates people and what part of it they enjoy and why...

I'd mostly use online GPS mapping to try and route me onto quieter roads...then plot onto maps (or even write down directions!). Then I'd use offline GPS location on maps.me to check I'm heading in the right direction from time to time. Would like to buy a Garmin at some point but it will be when I can get one cheap, as it's not something I particularly need or want much...I quite like stopping to look on a map, or factoring in time to 'get lost' and find your way back to where you are going

 

[Kosong]

Strava route planner. Switch on the global heatmap then you can plan along routes that the locals use for cycling, i.e. the best roads.

I currently use Strava to just track miles done on my bike, and also for fitness purposes so I can see any improvements in time on my regular cycle routes...not played with the heatmap yet but I think I've already got it on as theres always Icons for where other people started (or ended?) their rides nearby. Will certainly have a play with it beforehand, as I like Strava, it uses very little battery, and I can use it to quickly orient myself and check I'm headed the right way.

 

[snorri]

There are numerous sources of information on the internet, google 'cycle routes in Europe' or similar and you soon hit information overload!
I'd start by using a large scale map to identify the places I wanted to visit, also the places I had to visit, like ferry terminals and major bridges, this breaks the journey down into a series of short more easily planned trips. You will be on much cycled routes, mostly well signed, all the way between Oslo and Eindhoven and the countries you intend to pass through are so much more cycle friendly than the UK that detailed planning should not be vital.
There is little harm in getting a little lost, in fact it provides an opportunity to open a conversation with the natives which IME can add greatly to the enjoyment of the tour and lead to interesting diversions off any intended route.

 

[andym]

Kosong - some random pieces of gratuitous advice:

- one thing to bear in mind is ferries. I don't know how well the algorithms used by route-planning websites take account of them. In your case for example one option, rather than heading for Gothenburg, would with be to go south-west from Oslo and then catch a ferry to northern Denmark. In Denmark there's also a road bridge that looks like something you'd want to avoid (assuming you're allowed to ride on it) and you'd need to take a ferry.

- if you can, avoid any road with an E number (One of the uses of Google Maps as they show these).

- another useful site is viamichelin.com where you can look at digital versions of Michelin's paper maps. In some ways the traditional map publishers can still teach Google et al a trick or two about presenting information: they tend to do a better job at highlighting scenic roads and horrible main roads.

- keep an eye out for tunnels in mountainous areas.

I used Google Maps for France and Spain, now have cycling routes. You can see a graph of the elevation. Be warned though, in France a couple of times I ended up on farm tracks that you would have struggled to get through on a quad bike.

From what I can see, the Google Maps bicycle layer a lot less comprehensive than Google Maps (and it only covers some countries). Also OSM maps are usually better at giving information about the type of road/track/path - so if you know what to look for you can avoid sketchier tracks.

 

[Richard Fairhurst]

http://cycle.travel/map

Will keep you off any major road, used it for a 1500 mile tour (UK/ Holland/ Rhine/ France ) last Sept and France this year. I think the guy who runs it is a member on here as well.

*waves* Yes, I am! Always happy to hear comments/suggestions.

It's worth noting that "OSM" covers a multitude of things. At its heart it's just a big database of roads/paths, and you can build your own site using that. So, for example, RideWithGPS's display maps are the standard "openstreetmap-carto" style and Andy Allan's "OpenCycleMap" style. cycle.travel uses OSM-based maps too, but with its own style that aims to make minor roads visible even when you're zoomed out a fair way, and to show signposted bike routes clearly but not overpoweringly.

Same goes for routing: OSM just says "there's a road here", and it's up to the site to decide how to prioritise it. Some sites do a really good job of this (CycleStreets, for example), others less so. Where possible, cycle.travel uses real traffic data to help - i.e. favouring the roads that don't have many cars on.

Strava's clever, but its routeplanner prioritises those roads that are favoured by its members, who tend to be (generalising wildly) roadies rather than tourists. So it will tend to produce a fast route rather than a quiet one - great if that's what you want, of course.

 

[psmiffy]

- one thing to bear in mind is ferries

Ferries are easy - you just get on on the side you are on and get off when it reaches the other side

In Denmark there's also a road bridge that looks like something you'd want to avoid

The big bridge - The Great Spans Bridge is easy as well - you just hop on the train across it for one stop - just remember that there are three big steps up to Danish trains and be prepared in advance

 

[andym]

Ferries are easy - you just get on on the side you are on and get off when it reaches the other side

Ferries open up possibilities that you might not consider if you only focus on roads. It might be obvious to you, but for someone with less touring experience it might be less obvious. I don't know how much touring experience kosong has, and it might be obvious to him as well, but I think it was worth mentioning.

 

[psmiffy]

Ferries open up possibilities that you might not consider if you only focus on roads. It might be obvious to you, but for someone with less touring experience it might (perhaps, I don't know what experience the OP has) be less obvious - so I think was worth mentioning.

true - but that is why using a map and making it up as you go along works so well - im always on the lookout for little and not so little ferries that can be either a shortcut or take you into interesting places - with a bit of practise they become obvious and easy to spot on the map

 

[psmiffy]

Oslo Goteburg helsingor Fehman Hamburg Bremen Eindhoven is the way I would do it - I wouldnt bother about checking gradients - there arnt any hills to speak of - both the danish and the swedish options are a bit bland - but the swedish option gives you some great cities to go through - and you don't even have to consider the nasty bridge

 

[psmiffy]

there arnt any hills to speak of -

The only bump i can think of between Oslo and Eindhoven (excepting motorway bridges) is to the south of Bastard (just south of Havadal) no biggy

 

[doog]

hope its going well mate